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What role does the World Health Organization play in international public health?
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A health care worker giving a polio vaccine to a child in Katsina state, Nigeria, 2014.
The World Health Organization (WHO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations established in 1948 to promote the attainment of the highest possible level of health for all people. It defines health broadly as a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being, rather than merely the absence of disease.12
The WHO’s role in international public health is categorized into three primary functions:
- Information Clearinghouse: It serves as a global center for health data, maintaining a uniform system for reporting diseases and causes of death. It establishes international standards for drugs, maintains a list of essential medicines, and coordinates responses to global health crises, such as the COVID-19 pandemic.12
- Disease Control: The agency sponsors mass campaigns to combat epidemic and endemic diseases, including vaccination programs and the distribution of medical supplies. A notable success was the global eradication of smallpox in 1980.12
- Capacity Building: The WHO strengthens national health administrations by providing technical advice, deploying expert teams for field surveys, and supporting the training of local medical personnel to improve long-term health infrastructure.12